Underneath It All
by sailorsakura89
Summary: Beauty and The Beast TMNT Style. Full summary inside. Takes place in the 2k3 universe.
1. Prologue Part 1

_**Summary:**_

_** After an evil enchantress changes his brothers into inanimate objects and him into a monstrous creature, One turtle is left to live a life of misery and despair in an abandoned Japanese castle. The only way to break the spell is to have a human girl to kiss him, which is kind of hard to do considering his state. Will the turtles ever return to normal? Will this turtle find true love? Stay tuned! Turtle X OC.**_

_**Disclaimer:**_ I DO NOT OWN TMNT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM! All rights belong to Nickelodeon.

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_**Prologue Part 1**_

It had been 2 years since the turtles defeated Shredder and put the Purple Dragons in prison. With the Shredder gone and the Foot Clan disbanded, things had been a lot quieter in New York. Other than a few burglaries and muggings here and there, the city of New York had gotten somewhat peaceful, something the turtles (except Raph) were quite thankful for. About a year ago, Casey & April had gotten married. They moved into Casey's grandma's house to start a family, but they always came back every weekend to visit the old gang. Splinter had been away for a month visiting with a sick friend in Japan, so it was another calm and peaceful day in the underground turtle lair. The turtles were now sitting at their kitchen table waiting for Mikey to finish their dinner, which was taking much longer than his brothers wanted...

"Hey Mikey wont ya hurry up with dinner?" Raph snorted impatiently. "I'm starvin' ova here!"

"Yeah, you've been working on dinner for quite some time." Donnie added. "Is everything ok in there?"

"Guys!" Mikey sighed, poking his head around the kitchen door "You can't rush genius ok? Trust me. When this is finished, the wait will be be sooo worth it!"

"You betta not be makin Mikey Mash in there!" called Raph warningly.

"Mikey Mash….ugh…don't remind me." Donnie replied, holding his stomach. They still couldn't get the taste of Mikey's surprise dish from the past weekend out of their mouths. The brown goop made them all sick for days.

"Trust me when I say that it's gonna be good!" Mikey grinned as he started plating the food

"That's what you said the last time…." Leo mumbled rolling his eyes. Just then, Mikey came out of the kitchen with a serving dish of food, a basket of bread, and plates, balancing them all on both arms. The turtles sniffed the air as the aroma of their meal filled the lair.

"Say! That actually smells pretty good Mikey!" Raph said surprised .

"Yeah!" Leo agreed. "What did you cook this time?"

"You'll seeee!" Mikey smiled goofily, as he placed plates in front of his brothers and the serving bowls in the center. "Tada!" he said removing the top from the casserole dish. The boys stared at the dish wide eyed. It looked like sort of a pizza casserole with lasagna noodles and meat sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and sausage. "Help yourselves!" he said gesturing towards the delicious looking meal in front of them.

"FINALLY!" Raph shouted, "You cooked a REAL meal!" he reached to the center of the table and spooned a heaping helping of the pizza like casserole onto his plate.

"It looks delicious, Mikey, Really." Donnie complimented as he also took some of the casserole.

Mikey grinned as he puffed out his chest in superiority "I knew you guys would like it! Afterall, I am a great cook." He twirled his spatula like a baton.

"_Most_ of the time." Leo chuckled with a smirk.

"Wait till you guys taste it!" Mikey added in. "You guys are gonna-"

"So this is the turtle lair?" said a gruff voice from behind them. The boys all turned to see a hulking samurai dressed in armor. He gave an evil smirk as he eyed the 4 teens in front of him. "And you must be the ninja turtles."

The turtles all jumped from their chairs and drew their weapons. The samurai shook his head. " You don't want to fight me. Believe me, you wouldn't stand a chance.."

Raph gritted his teeth in anger. "Wanna bet metal boy?!" He sprang off his feet and charged at the samurai at full speed and fists ready. The samurai stood there as Raph went straight through him.

"What the?!" Raph cried out in confusion. He repeatedly tried to punch the samurai, but all hits seemed to go straight through his body. He then aimed a spin kick at him, but that went straight through as well, causing Raph to fall to the floor. Mikey ran over and helped him to his feet.

"What are you? And how did you get to our home?" Leo demanded.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." The samurai chuckled. "I leave this message to you. Better read it now while you still can!" and with that he disappeared in an explosion of sparks and smoke, leaving behind a note.

"Ok…so tell me that wasn't weird." Said Mikey, a little confused on what had just happened.

"I wonder what he had to say?" Donnie wondered as he picked up the note. He read it and gave a small gasp.

"Well?" Raph asked impatiently. "What does it say?" Donnie walked next to Leo and passed him the letter. Leo's eyes scanned the paper. "No…" he said as his eyes grew wide. "NO! Master Splinter!"

"What's wrong with Master Splinter?" Mikey asked worriedly.

"Guys, we've got to get to Japan. Master Splinter's in trouble." Leo said as he slung a bag over his shoulders.

"But it'll take us weeks to get there by boat!" exclaimed Raph. "We won't make it in time!"

"That's where you're wrong Raph." Donnie smiled, running to the elevator door to the warehouse. "Come on guys!" Leo and Raph followed behind him. Mikey grabbed a plate of his casserole and stuffed it in his carry-on bag.

"Let's go Mikey! We aint got all day!" Raph yelled.

"In a second!" Mikey responded as he took a spoonful of the pizza mixture. He then felt a yank on his mask tails, causing him to drop the spoon.

"Elevator! NOW!" Raph growled as he dragged Mikey away from the table. The four boys entered the elevator and emerged from it when it reached the top. Donnie led them to a huge object with a sheet over it.

"Gentlemen," Donnie started as he grabbed the sheet. "I give you…the Turtle Jet!"

The boys smiled as they looked at the giant jet looming above them. It looked like sort of like a fighter jet with its glass cockpit and its wings. It was dark green, with turtle shell print on the rudder.

"I've been working on this for a few years now and I finally get to test it out." Donnie explained. "This baby can go up to 1000 miles per hour. It has built in laser cannons in the wings, an expendable parachute just above the booster rockets, and it comfortably seats 6."

"Good, this is just what we need." Leo nodded in approval. "We need to get to Japan on the double."

"Oooohh!" Mikey yelled in excitement, waving his hand in the air. "Can I fly it?"

"Mikey, you don't know the first thing about flying a plane." Donnie said skeptically. "Besides, the controls are complicated and it's going to take some brain power to get us going."

"But I could learn!" Mikey pleaded. "Pleeeeeeaaase? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-OWW!" Raph had klonked him on the head with his fist.

"Mikey shut up and get on the plane!" Raph yelled. He had had about enough of Mikey's antics.

The steps of the plane entrance lowered and the turtles all got on. Donnie hopped into the cockpit and put on his purple helmet and goggles. He started pressing buttons, readying the plane for takeoff. He pressed a button on a remote control and the warehouse doors opened.

"Uh, Donnie?" Mikey started. "What if we're seen leaving the warehouse? Don't you think people will notice a big green plane flying out of here?"

"Watch this." Donnie smiled. He pressed a button and the entire plane went invisible.

"I gotta hand it to ya Donnie, you are one smart cookie." Raph smiled. Donnie gave a big grin and he continued his work. The plane then started to go in motion.

"Japan, here we come." Donnie smiled. The plane went faster as it reached the door and it started to lift off the ground. The wheels enclosed into the bottom of the jet and Donnie lifted the steering wheel to lift the plane even higher.

"Here we go!" Donnie exclaimed as the plane flew out of the warehouse and lifted higher and higher into the air until the jet was high above the clouds.

"Now that was AWESOME!" Mikey exclaimed. "Except…." His face went greener than it usually was. "I shouldn't have eaten that extra bit of casserole….Donnie? Where's the bathroom?"

"To the back of the plane, Mikey." Donnie replied. With that Mikey ran into the bathroom and closed the door.

"You betta clean that up when you're done!" Raph called from his seat to the bathroom.

"So, how long do we have until we reach Japan?" Leo asked Donnie.

"Since we're going at full speed, I estimate about less than an hour." Donnie responded.

Leo nodded and he turned to look out the window. He was very worried and he hoped that Master Splinter was ok.

"Don't worry Master Splinter." He whispered. "We're on our way."

Unbeknownst to the turtles they were being watched by a woman through a mirror.

"Excellent work my servant." She said to the samurai who was at their house earlier. "You have served me well."

"Thank you, mistress." He replied with a bow.

"Now that the turtles are on their way here, they'll be led right into my castle for an offer they certainly can't refuse." The woman grinned evilly. "And if they do…." She lifted up her staff and aimed it at an ant crawling on the ground. A beam of light zapped out of the staff and hit the ant, changing it into a peanut. "Let's just say that their lives will get a bit more….complicated." she glanced at the ant and laughed evilly.

"I'll be waiting for you turtles!" she said grinning at the mirror, the turtles still in her view.

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**_Prologue Part 2 coming soon!_**


	2. Prologue Part 2

_**Prologue Part 2**_

45 minutes passed and Japan was starting to come into view. The turtles were anxious to find their master and get to the bottom of everything .

"Home sweet home!" Mikey exclaimed, his face pressed up against the window. "It feels like it's been years since we've come to Japan!"

"That's because it_ has_ been years Mikey." Donnie laughed shaking his head. "15 years to be exact."

"Alright, let's get this plane landed so we can get in there, find Master Splinter and kick whoever's shell it was that took him in the first place!" Raph said impatiently.

"We're going to land in that small body of water near the edge of that forest land." Donnie replied as he started to try and land the plane. "Everyone fasten your seatbelts for landing."

"Umm, Donnie?" Mikey started worriedly. "how are we going to land _in_ the water?"

"With my built in water skis, we should be able to glide across the top of the water with ease." Donnie said with a nod. He then pressed a button waiting for the water skis to come out. Nothing happened. He then pressed it again but still no response. And they were getting closer to the water by the second. "This isn't good…" he frowned.

"Donnie…" Leo said nervously. "Now would be a good time for those skis…"

"I'm trying but the skis are stuck under the plane!" Donnie exclaimed as he kept pressing buttons.

"What are we gonna do?!" Mikey exclaimed putting his hands on his head frantically. "I'm too young to be a turtle pancake!"

"Well, there's only one thing we can do…." Donnie replied.

"What's that?" asked Raph.

"JUUUUUMP!" Mikey yelled, having already jumped out of the plane.

"Right behind ya!" Raph exclaimed following suit. Leo stood by the door waiting for Donnie. When he was out of his seatbelt, Donnie sprang out of his seat and bolted towards the door. Both he and Leo jumped at the same time. The boys pulled the strings on their parachutes and they floated to the ground, watching as their plane plunged into the water. Donnie looked on in despair as 3 years of hard work went sinking to the bottom of the lake.

Donnie sighed, shaking his head. "Well, so much for that …"

"That's ok Donnie." Leo said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find another way home. Right now, we need find the location of where Master Splinter might be. You did say it was near this area right?"

Donnie nodded and took out his shell cell. "I installed a tracking device program into our shell cells, so we should be able to track his location easily. That is if he has his phone with him…"

"Knowing Master Splinter that aint likely." Raph said shaking his head. "No offense to him, but he aint exactly tech savvy."

"Gee ya think really think so?…." Mikey mumbled, apparently loud enough for Raph to hear.

Raph chuckled teasingly. "Heh. You're just mad because you lost Super Smash Bros to him the first time he played."

Mikey turned red in embarrassment at the thought of it. Who knew a Jigglypuff could pack such a punch? "The only reason why I lost was because I had a sore thumb!" he retorted, crossing his arms. "Besides, I went easy on him!"

"Riiiiiight." Raph laughed. "And I suppose that's why you lost, again, again, and AGAIN!"

"Ugh, shut up, Raph." Mikey said rolling his eyes.

"Ok guys, let's stay focused now. " Leo said trying to keep the peace.

"He started it!" Mikey pouted pointing a finger at Raph. Raph slapped his finger out of the way. "Get that nub outta my face."

Mikey grinned slyly and pointed at him repeatedly. "Point point pointy point!" Raph growled and grabbed Mikey's arm, twisting it like a pretzel. "Aaaahhh! Ok ok I'll stop!"

"Say uncle!" Raph exclaimed still holding Mikey's arm in an awkward position.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Mikey shouted, struggling to get out of Raph's grasp.

"Knock it off you two!" Leo shouted at them.

Raph let Mikey go, Mikey rubbing his arm and glaring at Raph.

"I think I've got something!" Donnie exclaimed, adjusting the radar on his phone. The boys all crowded in around him. "My phone is receiving some signals from somewhere to the north of this area. If we keep following the signals, it could lead us to the whereabouts of Master Splinter."

Leo nodded in slight satisfaction. "Alright then let's get moving guys." He commanded. "He could be in serious danger." He then turned to Donnie. "I'm going to ask you to lead the way since you've got your radar on hand."

Donnie nodded and gestured for his brothers to follow him and the boys started off into the woods.

_Two Hours Later…._

The boys had still been following the signal of the radar on Donnie's phone. It seemed as if they hadn't really gotten anywhere in the past 2 hours and it was starting to get to them a little.

"Are you sure that thing isn't broke, Don?" Raph asked his brother. "We've been walkin for hours!"

Donnie looked down at the radar in slight confusion. "I'm pretty sure it isn't….maybe it gave us the wrong direction?"

"Aw, I really hope not." Mikey whined, putting a hand to his stomach. "I haven't eaten since we were on the plane. I'm sooooo hungry!"

"Mikey, we're all hungry. But that don't mean you gotta keep complainin about it every 15 minutes!" Raph said narrowing his eyes at his younger brother.

"Well you'd complain too if you were in a dark, scary forest without any clue as to where we are!" Mikey pouted, crossing his arms. "Oh wait….we are!"

"Mikey, we're all in the same situation here." Leo responded, trying to keep his brother calm. "Complaining won't solve anything."

Mikey crossed his arms and looked off to the side. "Well it'll make me feel bett-" Suddenly his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"What's wrong Mikey?" Donnie asked him.

"Look…." he pointed behind him. The boys turned to where he was pointing and they stared in shock as a huge looming Japanese castle appeared in front of them. It was surrounded by beautiful cherry blossom trees.

"No way…." Mikey whispered.

"It's like it just appeared out of nowhere…" Donnie said a little baffled.

"D-do you think it's haunted?" Mikey stammered, also freaked out at the sudden appearance.

"I'm not sure," Leo replied, looking towards the castle, "but maybe someone inside might know something on the whereabouts of Master Splinter."

"We can't go in there!" Mikey exclaimed. "What if the owners don't want us there? What if they try to chop our heads off? WHAT IF THEY'RE GHOSTS?"

"There are no such things as ghosts." Donnie replied, his radar beeping rapidly. "And it looks like the shell cell is pointing straight here."

"Well, what are we waitin' for?" Raph smirked, whipping out his sais. "Let's get this show goin!"

Mikey backed away from the others. "Uhhh, you guys go ahead. I'll stay here and watch for Master Splinter."

Raph grinned teasingly at Mikey. "Aww, what's the matta? Is wittle Mikey afraid of the big scary castle?"

"Yes!" Mikey exclaimed. "And I'm not afraid to say it. I'm scared of this place!"

Donnie, Leo, and Raph all smiled at each other sneakily. "Okay, Mikey." Leo shrugged. "If you want to stay out here in the dark, creature infested forest all alone, then it's up to you." The 3 turtles then started to walk away from Mikey and towards the castle.

"Yep!" Mikey called behind them. "I'm staying right here!" as he stood , the wind started to howl through the trees. "All alone…in the creepy….dark…..forest…." Mikey looked around apprehensively at the surroundings that encircled him. The more he looked, the more the trees seemed to reach out to him. "Y-yup." He stammered. "Just-" A crow sqauked so loud it sounded like a scream.

"AAAAAHHH! WAIT FOR ME!" he called out, running after his brothers.

_Meanwhile_

In a small cottage on the other side of the forest, an older Japanese man lay in bed, a thick blanket wrapped around his body. He looked frail and sickly. A human sized rat walked out of the kitchen with a tray of hot tea and a stout man wearing a traditional Japanese hat, his beard in two ponytails, brought in towels and a wooden bucket. The rat took the teapot of hot water and poured it into the bucket and the man soaked the towels in the water and squeezed them out. He placed the warm towel on the sickly man's forehead and sat at his bed side. The rat took a seat next him and offered him a cup of tea, which he accepted.

"I can't thank you enough for assisting me with my uncle, Splinter." The man smiled slightly. Master Splinter put a hand on his shoulder.

"It is my pleasure to help, Ancient One." Master Splinter replied with a soft smile. "A family member of yours is a family member of my own."

Ancient One nodded and glanced back at his uncle. The sickly man looked as if he were in much pain. "I don't know how much longer he has left, Splinter…" he sighed. "It seems as if every day, he gets sicker and sicker. I am starting to wonder if there is much hope left for him…"

Master Splinter looked back at Ancient One's uncle. "There is always hope my friend. If there is one thing that my sons have taught me, it is to never give up." He looked off into space remembering the difficult ordeals that they have all faced. Each time, the situation seemed hopeless, but the boys always came back overcoming their adversities and growing stronger as a team. Master Splinter smiled and nodded. "Yes, there is always ho-" at that moment he felt a familiar presence hovering over him. His eyes grew wide and he scratched his chin puzzled.

"Is something the matter?" asked the Ancient One.

"Strange…" Master Splinter wondered. "For some reason, I feel the presence of my sons nearby…"

"The boys? In Japan?" Ancient One wondered himself. "But…how?"

"I do not know." Master Splinter replied. "But something tells me that if they are here, then it must be for a reason. " He then froze in his place as he felt another presence. Only this time…it was an evil one.

"I fear that my sons are in danger." He said standing from his stool. "I must find them and quickly. I am sorry to leave like this Ancient One."

"We will be fine." Ancient One nodded. "For now, you must go. Find them."

Master Splinter thanked him for understanding and he set off to find them. Ancient One stood at the door and watched him leave.

"Good luck, my friend." He said to himself. He then went back inside the house and sat at his uncle's bedside, remembering Master Splinter's words: "There is always hope."

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_**Prologue Part 3 coming soon!**_


	3. Prologue Part 3

**This is the final part of the prologue!**

* * *

_**Prologue Part 3**_

The four turtles had made their way up the numerous stairs in front of the castle and they were now in front of large double doors. Mikey bent over, panting with his hands on his knees.

"I've never climbed so many stairs in my life…" He said between breaths. "This is why elevators were invented!"

Leonardo walked up to the doors and reached up his fist to knock, but as he did the doors slowly creaked open by themselves.

"I guess this is an invitation." Leo said stepping through the doors. The others followed suit. The foyer was very elegant with its sets of red and gold curved stairs, one set on the left and another on the right. They both led to a center sliding door painted with traditional Japanese art and there was also a red chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The floor was covered in plush red carpeting and in the center was a polished hardwood table with a bowl of fruit sitting on it.

When all 4 turtles had made it inside, the doors slammed shut behind them.

"Oh man.." Mikey gulped. "I don't like this already…."

Donnie's shell cell beeped with even more intensity. "Yeah, it's definitely a lot stronger now…." He said with a nod. He pointed it towards the center door at the top of the stairs. "It's coming from up there." He said walking up the stairs. Raph, Leo, and Donnie walked up the stairs while Mikey eyed the fruit bowl. He picked up an apple and rubbed it with his arm.

"Hope it's not wax." He smiled as he started to take a bite. He then felt something grab his arm and he looked down. He tried to let out a scream but nothing would come out. One of the handles on the table had gripped around his arm. Eyes opened on the edge of the table and a mouth formed. Mikey stood frozen in his spot, his mouth dropped open in surprise and horror.

"You must turn back!" the table spoke. "Leave this place while you can!" Mikey yanked his arm away and started to back away from the table slowly. He wanted to speak but he could find no words.

"You must leave!" a voice spoke from behind him. He whirled around to see a painting of a man in a Japanese robe. And he was looking directly into Mikey's eyes. "This is your warning!" With that Mikey ran as fast as he could up the stairs screaming at the top of his lungs.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"Mikey! BE QUIET!" Leo hissed.

"This place is haunted!" Mikey yelled pulling at Leo's arm. "The furniture is ALIVE! They were telling us to get outta here and I think we should!" The 3 turtles narrowed their eyes at him.

"Mikey, you've really got to stop watching all of those scary movies." Donnie scolded him. "They're starting to get to your head."

Mikey's eyes widened. "But I-"

"Mikey just shut up. " Raph said quite annoyed with him. It was then that Leo opened the sliding doors to the room. There were 3 different hallways leading into different areas of the upper level. But the signal was leading them straight down the dark, center hall. Donnie and Leo led the way once more, Mikey and Raph behind them. Mikey looked warily at the paintings hanging on the walls. Each person seemed to have troubled looks on their faces. Mikey even noticed some of the eyes following them. He bit his lip, trying to hold in his fear. He was not liking this place at all. They finally reached the end and the saw the big sliding door in front of them.

"This is it guys." Donnie said pointing the phone towards the door.

Leo unsheathed his katanas. "Everyone be on your guard at all times." He commanded. He opened the doors with his swords and leapt inside. It was a throne room which apparently was empty.

"Where is everyone?" Donnie wondered as he looked around the room. Right through the floor, samurais emerged and surrounded the boys. The samurais readied their weapons, preparing to fight their adversaries.

"Ya had to ask!" Raph replied, getting into a fighting stance. The samurai all lunged at the turtles and a fight ensued. Raph tried once more to spin kick one of them but his hit went straight through the samurai.

"What are ya? Some kind of ghost?" Raph snapped at the samurai. The samurai swung his club at him and knocked Raph to the ground. "You could say that." The samurai grinned mockingly. The samurai brought up his weapon and prepared to hit him when a bo staff knocked his weapon out of his hand and it was sent flying, breaking in half when it hit the ground.

"No!" the samurai yelled. Donnie swept his leg underneath the samurai's feet and sent him crashing to the ground causing him to disappear in a puff of smoke.

"Ya know, I could've done that…" Raph smirked crossing his arms. Donnie grinned at him and then turned to the others.

"It seems like the weapons are the only things keeping them invincible!" he called out to the others. "Knock away their weapons!"

They nodded and went in for the battle. A samurai whipped his chain at Mikey repeatedly, but each time Mikey jumped out of the way. The samurai then ran at him, but Mikey side stepped out of the way and yanked the chain as he ran by. The samurai yanked also, resulting in a tug of war.

"Ugh! Let go you filthy sewer lizard!" the Samurai yelled. Mikey shrugged. "Okay dude if you say so." He grinned goofily as he let the chain go. The samurai fell backwards out of a nearby window, disappearing before he could hit the ground.

A samurai ran towards Leo, swords ready to strike. Leo blocked his attack with his katanas, leading to a sword fight. Leo gained the upper hand and knocked the swords of the samurais hands. He performed a jump kick into the samurai's chest and sent him flying towards a wall, disappearing on impact.

Two samurai's swung their weapons at Raph, and he ducked, bringing up his sais to either side of him, pulling away their weapons. He jumped into the air and split kick the both of them sending them flying, and disappearing.

Mikey swung a samurai's chain like a lasso. "Yeeehaw!" He called as he swung the chain at the four remaining samurai's weapons. He yanked the weapons away from them and the four turtles simultaneously backhand springed towards the samurais and kicked them, sending them crashing through a window.

From behind them, the clapping of hands was heard. The turtles turned around to see a Japanese woman wearing a long red and gold kimono and a red mask over her eyes. Her hair was done up in a bun with two gold chopsticks protruding from them. In her hand was a gold staff.

"Nothing less from the ninja turtles." She said with a smile. "You are just a strong as I thought."

The turtles looked at each other in confusion. They didn't know what was going on. Leo stepped forward to face the woman. "Who are you? "he asked quite puzzled.

"I am Mistress Riku Iwata." She said giving them a slight bow. "And this is my home." She said spreading her arms out. "Everything you see here is mine. And those samurai are my loyal guards." She then seated herself on her throne. "I have been watching you all for quite some time now. " She said gesturing towards her wall mirror. It showed the city of New York and eventually their lair. "As a matter of fact I've been watching everything you do. Including your fights. Which by the way, I have been very impressed with ."

The boys gawked at what they saw.

"Stalker much?" Mikey whispered to Don.

"Ok lady, enough with the chit chat."Raph snapped. "What's goin on?" Mistress Iwata smiled and stood from her throne. "I have seen your impressive fighting skills in person this time. And I am going to make you an offer."

"And that is?"Raph asked crossing his arms.

She then raised her staff. A stream of smoke emerged from the crystal sphere and formed 4 silhouettes of the turtles in their respective colors. They were standing next to a gold silhouette of herself. The image showed a band of robbers coming to raid her castle, but the turtles took them down.

"My samurai aren't exactly the most reliable, as you saw in the battle you just fought." Mistress Iwata laughed slightly. So, I offer you the chance of a lifetime. I want you to join my court as my royal ninja guards. Before you say anything, let me show you what you can gain from this…."

Another image appeared with Mikey sitting at a table lavished with different foods "You'll have the finest foods, cooked by my royal chefs." Don appeared in a room tinkering with machinery. There were numerous tools, and a sleek looking laptop in front of him. "Access to advanced technology." Don puffed away, and Raph appeared in a room with lots of workout equipment, punching bags, and a mat for sparring. "Superb training facilities." The gym faded away and Leo appeared. He was standing in front of a room filled with weaponry from swords to nunchuku. "And access to all the weaponry you could want." The scene then puffed away and the woman was in front of them once more.

"And all of this could be yours, if you choose to stay with me and become my guards." Mistress Iwata smiled, waiting expectantly for an answer. "So, what is your answer?"

"No." Leo stated firmly. "I am sorry, but our home is in New York."

"You tell her bro!" Mikey cheered. "But… that food did look delicious…OW!" Raph and Donnie both slapped him upside the head.

Mistress Iwata stared at them intently. "I see…." She responded quietly. She then let out a long sigh. "I did not want it to have to resort to this, but you leave me no choice." She then raised her staff in the air and the crystal glowed with a blue aura. She brought down her staff and aimed it at the 4 teens, a laser shooting out of it. The boys scattered as the laser beam hit a samurai and changed him into a grandfather clock.

"What in the world?!" Donnie exclaimed.

Mistress Iwata smirked evilly. "If you won't be my servants, then perhaps, you'll make better household items for my home." She then shot numerous beams from her staff.

"This woman is crazy!" Raph yelled, dodging the shots from the staff.

"See?!" Mikey shouted, ducking behind a nearby bamboo plant. "I told you guys we shouldn't have come here! But does anyone listen to me? Noooo!"

At that moment Master Splinter opened the door to see the boys being shot at. "My sons!" he yelled out. The boys turned to see him standing at the door.

"Master Splinter!" the boys shouted in unison. It was then that Master Splinter's eyes widened in horror. "Leonardo!" he shouted running towards him. A beam was about to hit him while his back was turned. Master Splinter jumped in front of him just as the beam was about to make impact. Leo turned around as the beam zapped his father and made him smaller and smaller. The boys looked on horrified at the sight they beheld.

"MASTER SPLINTERRRR!" Leo screamed. Master Splinter shrunk even smaller and his body shape shifted. He dropped into Leo's hands as Japanese teapot. He was unconscious. Leo's eyes filled with tears. His eyes then burned with a fury that no one had ever seen before.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Raph yelled furiously as he dashed towards Mistress Iwata. He leapt into the air, prepared to drop kick her, when a beam of light engulfed him. His weapons dropped to the floor as the beam shape shifted him into a household object. He fell to the floor as a red barstool.

"Raph!" Mikey and Donnie yelled. Mistress Iwata then shot out two beams and they hit the two of them. When the light faded, Donnie was changed into a purple bicycle with a basket on the front, and Mikey was changed into an orange boom box. Both had fallen unconscious. The woman laughed with satisfaction and turned her attention to Leo.

"And then there was one." She smirked aiming her staff at where he was supposed to be. She glanced around, but she didn't see him anywhere. "Where did he go?" she wondered. She then felt her staff being forced out of her hand, now cut into two piece. It fell to the ground, the crystal shattering into pieces as it hit the floor. Leo landed in front of her, his katana in a slicing position. She screamed in horror as she started to disappear slowly. "What have you done?! You've destroyed me!"

He then glanced around and noticed that his brothers and Master Splinter were still the same.

"Why aren't they changing back?!" he asked her angrily. She then grinned an evil smile. "You may have destroyed me, but the one who breaks this staff has an even worse fate. If the staff is destroyed, a curse will befall the one who destroyed it and the effects of the magic are just about permanent!"

Suddenly, Leo dropped to his knees in pain as a change started to befall him. His fingers and toes grew claws, and he grew a long tail. His teeth became sharpened, and his body became more muscular and bumpy. His shell grew spikes and his scales became more defined. He looked down at his hands and feet and grew horrified at the sight. There was a huge white flash and it at that very moment, other every living thing in the castle changed into an inanimate object.

The woman cackled evilly, all the while fading away faster and faster. "There is only one way to break the spell! But you won't know until your 21st birthday! And by then it'll be too late!" She then dropped to the floor and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Leo looked around at his brothers, now inanimate objects and he gathered them in his arms. His eyes tightened and tears streamed down his face as he let out a sob. "I'm so sorry…." He whispered to them, his voice now gruffer.

He looked himself in the mirror and stared. In anguish, he gritted his teeth and let out a loud roar that could be heard all over Japan. He was upset, scared, and in despair. He had no idea what life had in store for them now. He gathered his brothers and Master Splinter, placing Donnie on his back, Raph and Mikey under his arms, and Master Splinter in his carry-on bag. And he ran. He jumped out of a window and ran through the forest, not knowing where he was going. He just wanted to get away. He found himself soon reaching a city. No one seemed to be around so he walked out into the open, looking for a nearby man hole.

"MOMMY! IT'S A MONSTER!" a little boy screamed , clinging onto his mother's skirt. The woman grabbed her son in her arms and ran away, screaming. A nearby police officer took out his tazer and ran to taze Leo. Leo was too quick and ran back into the forest.

"I need back up here now!" The officer yelled into his walkie talkie. "We got ourselves some strange animal! And it's huge!"

It wasn't long before animal control and a few police officers went searching the forest with tranquilizers and leashes.

"So, you said it was how tall?" the animal control officer asked the policeman.

"It was about 5 ½ feet tall!" the officer yelled. "Biggest lookin lizard I've ever seen!"

"Well….it doesn't seem to be around anymore…" the animal control officer sighed. He then handed the police officer a business card. "But let me know if you do."

The police man nodded and they both left the forest.

Leo looked on from the top branches of the trees. He knew that he'd never be able to leave the forest, so he went back to where he knew he would be safe…the castle. He dashed up the stairs and slammed the door behind him. He pressed his back against the door and slid down until he was in a sitting position. He had left scratch marks on the door from the sliding. Leo hung his head in shame. Here he was, for the first time in his life, feeling like he was helpless. He then lifted himself and went to the throne room, locking himself inside. He would not come out for a very long time.

* * *

_**Chapter 1 coming soon!**_


	4. Chapter 1

Hey guys! Happy New Year to you all! This is a redo of chapter 1. I didnt like how the chapter I had before turned out...I dont think I developed Marina's character enough in the first go round, so I decided to do it over. I hope you all enjoy it and thanks for reading!

* * *

_**Chapter 1**_

20 year old Marina Robinson sat under a tree in the courtyard at her university. Her thick, shoulder length auburn hair was tied in a ponytail and her black rimmed glasses over her green eyes were tipped on her nose. Her sketchpad was in hand and she was hard at work on her latest sketch. She was faced towards a small pond, carefully eyeing a pair of birds bathing at the edge of it, trying to sketch every detail of what she saw.

"Almost done…." She whispered, steadily trying to make finishing touches on the drawing. After a few minutes, she put down her pencil and lifted up her pad to admire her work. It was a close up of drawing of the two birds bathing and it was definitely one of the best drawings that she had done to date. Marina smiled softly and made her way over to the pond, careful not to scare the birds away.

"Thanks for not flying away." She smiled. "Because of you guys, I now have a great sketch for my portfolio!" The birds turned to look at her, cocking their heads to the side.

"As if they know what I'm talking about…" Marina chuckled. She then turned to leave when she looked behind her to see two students on the walkway whispering about her. Her eyes widened in embarrassment. She gave a nervous laugh.

"I was just uhh…..talkin to the birds!" she said giving a nervous grin. "_That sounded so weird…"_ she thought making a face. At that moment she whipped up her backpack and portfolio and she hurried away from the courtyard, quite embarrassed.

"Poor Marina…" the boy student said shaking his head. "The girl just hasn't been the same since her mom passed…"

"You'd think she'd be over that by now…." The girl replied. "I mean it _has_ been 2 years afterall."

The boy nodded. "But I guess it takes more time than others…and some people react in certain ways."

"Like talking to birds and being alone?" the girl laughed.

"I guess so." The boy said giving a slight chuckle. The two then walked away from the courtyard and headed in another direction. Just as they left, Marina slipped out from behind a tree, and watched as they left. She had heard everything they said. She let out a sigh, clutching her necklace with a star locket, and she started to make her way to class.

She had never been the most social person, but she did know people. However, since her mom died, she had become more withdrawn. She had always been a nice girl and many people knew of her because of her beautiful artwork that hung in the school library. But no one ever really knew the true Marina. The Marina who wished people would understand how she felt. The Marina who wished people would look past their judgments to see the true person inside.

"I'll find them someday.." she thought to herself.

Marina found herself in no time at the door of her art classroom. She walked inside and gave the teacher a smile.

"Good afternoon Marina!" The teacher smiled from her desk. "How goes it today?"

"Everything's ok Miss Troutsdale." Marnia said giving a smile. "Thanks for asking."

Miss Troutsdale looked into Marina's eyes and saw that she wasn't ok. If anyone knew Marina more than anyone else in the school, it was Miss Troutsdale. She was definitely the exception. Miss Troutsdale cared about Marina kind of like a second mom. She saw how gifted Marina was at art and saw potential in her. Not only that, but she also cared for her like a daughter since her and her mom used to be close friends. She saw what a shy girl she was, but she knew that with time Marina could really blossom into the girl that she knew she could she could be.

"I want to see you after class Marina." She said giving her a slight nod.

Marina smiled and nodded at her request.

"Teacher's pet…" a student whispered from behind, causing a few people around to snicker. Marina's eyes lowered.

"Ginny, since you have so much to say why don't you show the class your homework assignment." Miss Troutsdale said glaring at the student.

Ginny stood from her seat and embarrassedly walked up to the front of the class with her sketchbook.

"I have a picture here of my golden retriever." Ginny said giving a proud smile. "He's our family dog and he has been in the family for a very long time. He's our baby."

Miss Troutsdale studied the paper. "It's very good. If you put as much emphasis on your art work than teasing students, it would be even better. I don't want to see that in my classroom again. Do you understand?" she said giving her a stern look.

"Yes mam…" Ginny whispered. Miss Troutsdale motioned for her to go back to her seat. She gave Marina a wink and Marina smiled

_After class_

Marina packed her things in her bag and waited for everyone else to leave. When they were gone, she walked up to Miss Troutsdale's desk.

"You wanted to see me about something?" Marina asked her. Miss Troutsdale gestured for her to have a seat next to her desk, which she did.

"Marina, is everything alright?" Miss Troutsdale asked with concern. Marina lowered her head when asked and didn't say anything. It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and looked into Miss Troutsdale's kindly old eyes, full of concern for her. She sighed.

"Miss Troutsdale….have I really changed that much since mom passed?" she asked. "I want the truth."

Miss Troutsdale looked at her in surprise. "Marina, you have always been a bright, sweet, and wonderful young lady. Did anyone say anything to you today?"

"Well not to me." Marina sighed. "But I overheard some people talking. They were saying things about how much I had changed and how I had become 'weird'."

Miss Troutsdale gave her a sympathetic look. She hated it when she saw other students being teased. Especially when it was one of her best students and someone whom she had known for many years. She shook her head in disapproval.

"People say things are weird that they don't understand. But if they would just look at the person on the inside, they would see that that person is a really isn't as bad as they seem."

Marina smiled slightly and Miss Troutsdale took out a funny shaped apple from her lunch bag. Most of it was red, but there were spots that had yellow on it too.

"This was the only apple left in the apple bin at the store. People didn't take it because it was lumpy and looked different on the outside."

Marina looked at the apple curiously. She had seen many an apple in her day, but this one was definitely unique. Miss Troutsdale then took out a knife from her bag. "But on the inside…." She sliced it in half to reveal a normal looking pulp. She then passed half to Marina and took a bite of her own. "It's very sweet." She smiled. "Just like you."

Marina gave her a smile. Miss Troutsdale was definitely one of the nicest people that she knew. She was very wise, and knew how to give great advice. Just like her mother did. Miss Troutsdale then remembered something.

"Oh! There was another reason why I called you to my desk, Marina." She said opening a drawer in her desk. She revealed an envelope with Marina's name on it, sealed with a gold sticker. Marina suddenly got nervous as she took the envelope from Miss Troutsdale's hand. It was from the financial department of the Study Abroad program. Earlier that year, she had signed up for a scholarship so that she might get to get to go on the art department's study abroad trip to Japan. She felt that she could get a lot of great sketches from the countryside areas, which would look great for her senior portfolio in the fall. She was almost afraid that she wouldn't get it.

"What if I got rejected?" Marina asked, pressing the letter nervously to her lap. "Then what?"

"Well, you'll never know until you open it." Miss Troutsdale said motioning for her to open the letter.

Marina took a deep breath and opened the letter. She pulled out the paper and read it.

_Dear Miss Robinson,_

_On behalf of the Study Abroad Department, we would like to inform you that your request for the Vincent Van Gogh Academic Excellence Scholarship has been approved. You will receive a full scholarship for 1 semester abroad in the program of your choice. Congratulations and good luck to you in your future endeavors. _

_Sincerley,_

_Opal Kringsley_

_Study Abroad Department Chairwoman_

Marina cupped her hand to her mouth, eyes watering. Never had she received such an honor! And a full ride scholarship at that!

"What's the matter? Is everything ok?" Miss Troutsdale wondered with a hint of worry at her reaction. Marina passed her the letter, wiping tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Miss Troutsdale read the letter and a big grin crossed her wrinkled features.

"I knew you would get it! Congratulations sweetie!" Miss Troutsdale cheered, giving her a huge hug.

Marina sniffled. She couldn't believe it! A full scholarship for a semester abroad. It was like a dream to her.

"Oh wow…" she said with red eyes and a smile. "A full semester abroad! I can't believe it!"

"You better believe it kiddo." Miss Troutsdale grinned. "You deserve this 100 percent."

Marina just shook her head in disbelief. She was elated and she couldn't wait to tell her father.

"I'm going to tell my dad about this." She smiled picking up her things. "Thanks for your encouragement Miss Troutsdale!"

"Anytime, Marina. Anytime." Miss Troutsdale smiled giving her another hug. "Now you'd better go on home!"

Marina nodded and waved goodbye as she headed out the door. She made her way to the parking lot and unlocked the door to her green Volkswagen Beetle and hopped in, putting her backpack on the floor of the passenger seat and placing her portfolio in the seat. She drove out of the parking lot and headed for home.

Not even 10 minutes later, Marina drove into the driveway of her suburban home where she and her family had lived for 6 years now. Marina and her family had moved to the town when she was 14. She walked inside the house and put her keys on the key rack next to the door. She then walked into her room, dropped her backpack on her floor and kicked off her red sneakers. She then tossed herself on her bed and picked up her cell phone to call her dad leave a message. He still had patients to tend to before his office closed, but he would be home soon afterwards. Marina pressed the send button under her dad's picture and prepared to leave a message.

_Hello, you have reached Dr. Wilfred Robinson. I am unable to take your call right now, but if you leave your full name, your number, and a brief message, I will be sure to contact you as soon as possible. Thank you very much and have a wonderful day. *beeeep*_

Marina then left her message. "Hi dad! It's Marina. I hope you had a great day today. I have some great news to tell when you get home! I can't wait to tell ya! Love you!"

She then pressed the end button and lie on her bed facing the ceiling. She twidled around with the star charm on her necklace and gave a slight sigh. She wished she had her mom to hug at this time. Marina hadn't been this excited in years. It was then that Marina's eyes started to get heavier and she felt them closing shut. It had been a long day and she was a little tired.

"Maybe a little nap….wont…hurt…."she said sleepily. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

* * *

Marina opened her eyes to find herself facing the ceiling. A wooden ceiling. She gasped and sat up. She definitely wasn't in her room anymore.

"Where…am I?" Marina wondered looking around the room. She then took in her surroundings. The floors were made from polished cherry oak. The walls were plastered with white wallpaper sprayed with cherry blossoms. There was a sliding screen door painted with Japanese artwork, and sliding door that led to a balcony. In the corner of the room was a black armoire, and next to the bed was a small table with a bonsai tree sitting on it. Next to it was a white porcelain lamp with cherry blossom designs on the silk lamp shade. The moonlight was streaming through the balcony door.

"How beautiful…" Marina thought as she ran her fingers across the silky lampshade. The creaking of the door was heard and she turned in that direction. She let out a small gasp as she saw sapphire blue eyes peering through the door.

"Umm….hello?" Marina called out to them. As quickly as she saw the eyes, they were quickly gone as well.

"Hey wait!" Marina called running to the door. But as she opened them, she saw a white flash.

* * *

Her eyes opened and she was lying on her own bed. She scratched her head, puzzled at what had just happened.

"A dream?" she wondered, sitting up in her bed. It was then that she heard the front door open and she hurriedly got out of bed. She walked into the kitchen to see her dad with a big brown paper bag, delicious smells coming from it. Marina's dad turned around and she hugged him tightly.

"Hey sweetie." He smiled hugging her back, placing a kiss on her forehead. He seemed very tired.

"Long day today?" Marina asked him, taking the brown paper bag and sitting it on the table.

"Definitely." He sighed. "Lots more patients today….but now I am home to rest with my favorite daughter!"

Marina giggled. "I'm your only daughter dad."

"But of course." Mr. Robinson smiled. Marina took the letter from the kitchen table and handed to her dad with a smile.

"Well, what's this?" he asked with a smile.

"Open it!" she said giddily. Mr. Robinson opened the letter and read it out loud. He then grabbed her up in a hug and ruffled her hair.

"That's my girl!" He exclaimed. "Way to go!"

"Thanks dad." She grinned. "I can't believe it. A whole semester abroad!" Her dad nodded in agreement.

"A chance to see new places and new faces." Marina's dad chuckled. "Maybe you'll get broken out of that shyness while you're there too."

Marina smiled slightly and just shrugged. Mr. Robinson laughed, giving her a side hug.

"Well, I think this calls for a celebration." He smiled. "So after dinner, how bout we go out and get some ice cream?"

"Mmmm, sounds great." Marina swooned just thinking about her favorite chocolate ice cream with semi sweet and white chocolate chips. "By the way what's for dinner?"

Mr. Robinson dug into the brown paper bags and took out some Chinese takeout boxes, which made Marina even hungrier. She went into the cabinet and took out 2 plates and 2 glasses. Then she went into the drawer took out 2 forks, and a big spoon for serving. She set the table and poured them both some apple juice.

"Bon Appetite!" Mr. Robinson said lifting his glass. Marina did the same and they got started on dinner. As she was eating, thoughts ran through her head about the day's events. But most of her thoughts stayed on the dream she had earlier. It had been so strange, yet realistic.

"_It looked as if I were in Japan.._" Marina thought. "_But I wonder what it was supposed to mean? And those eyes…._" She shuddered at the thought of someone watching her. But in a way, she thought the eyes sort of looked…kind.

Whatever it was, it probably wasn't as big a deal as she thought. It was just a dream. She shook her head to get her mind off it and kept eating dinner. The quicker she was done, the quicker they would be able to go get that ice cream!

* * *

**_Chapter 2 coming soon!_**


	5. Chapter 2

_**Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I just recently went back to school from Christmas break and i've had homework galore -_- not to mention i've been kinda sick lately...cold weather rocks...NOT! lol anyways I hope yall enjoy this :)**_

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

Marina folded up a red shirt and pressed it into her suitcase along with other clothing items. She closed it up and sat on it so that it would stay closed and slowly stood to her feet. She zipped it up and pulled it off her bed, sitting it next to another suitcase, her backpack, and her portfolio. The next day would be Japan day and Marina was getting all of her last minute packing done beforehand. She sighed at the thought. Although she was happy for the opportunity to study abroad, it had hit her that she wasn't going to be home for the whole summer. Her dad and she usually always took a summer vacation together. She smiled remembering their trip to the beach last year, even though her dad had to be taken to the hospital due to a jellyfish sting on his arm. She had warned him not to go too far in the water. As she was pondering on her thoughts, Marina heard a knock on her door.

"Come in!" she called out. The door opened and her father poked his head in. She gave him a smile and he joined her, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"So the day's finally come huh kiddo?" He smiled. Marina nodded.

"Yeah it has." She smiled softly looking towards the window. "It really didn't seem like so long ago when I received the news of the scholarship….what a different experience it will be. New country, new places to see..."

Marina's dad smiled. "It will be a different experience." He then caught her in a side hug. "But that doesn't mean that it can't be a good one. You're gonna have a great time, I'm sure of it hun."

She smiled slightly. Marina had been looking forward to this day for quite some time. But for some reason, she was starting to feel a bit homesick. And she hadn't even left yet. She gave a slight sigh and lowered her eyes. Her father shook her slightly and smiled. "Hey. No matter what happens, you will be fine." He said reassuringly.

"You really think so dad?" Marina asked turning to her father, a look of question in her eyes. Her dad nodded.

"I sure do." He replied, kissing her forehead. He then stood from his place on the bed and stretched. "Well, I have to get up for work in the morning. And YOU have to get up to go to Japan, so I suggest we both get some sleep now."

Marina nodded in agreement. She was a bit saddened that her dad wouldn't be able to see her off, but they did have a special dinner that night in her honor, so that made her feel a little better. Her dad wrapped his arms around her in a huge bear hug and she did the same.

"I love you dad." She said muffled through the hug.

"I love you too hun." Her dad replied letting her go. "Don't forget to call when you arrive ok?"

"Sure thing dad." Marina said holding out her pinky. Her dad linked his pinky with hers and they shook on it. "Good deal." He smiled. He then walked towards the door and turned around to see her snuggled under her covers.

"Be safe." He whispered, flipping her light switch off and closing the door.

Marina lie awake in her bed, thinking about what was to come. New opportunities for art work, new places to see, a whole new experience in general. She had never ridden a plane before so this would also be a first for her. Soon all the thinking had her feeling very tired. Marina slowly closed her eyes and found herself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Marina felt a breeze blow across her face and she opened her eyes. She looked around to see herself standing in a forest of beautiful cherry blossom trees, petals blowing through the wind.

Her eyes widened at the sight as she looked around. She _had_ to be in Japan, she thought. A small branch blew from a tree and flew into her hands. It held a single cherry blossom on it. She looked at the cherry blossom, puzzled and she then looked up to see the silhouette of a muscled creature, sitting indian style on a grassy hill ahead. Marina's head told her to run away, but her heart was telling her to get closer. She ran towards the hill in what seemed like slow motion. The closer she tried to get, the farther away it seemed. Marina then saw the head of the silhouette turn to face her. The only thing that was visible was its blue eyes. She froze in her spot. Their eyes were locked onto each other's. She wanted to say something, but she could find no words. Marina started to step closer and the silhouette stood to it's feet. It was then that the wind blew harder and cherry blossom petals blocked the view. Marina shielded her eyes from the wind storm and closed them.

When she opened her eyes, she was in her own bed, the moon shining through the curtains in her window. She sat up and turned to see the time on her digital alarm clock. It was after 2 am. She sat and pondered on her dream from the night before and that night. Both took place in Japan and both had someone with blue eyes, only this time the "person" was almost visible. Marina wondered why she kept having the same dreams in the same places. Maybe the dreams could mean something for her future? She had to admit, she was a bit scared. Then again, maybe it was just in her head….. Or was it? She lie in bed and stayed awake thinking about the dreams until she fell asleep an hour later. In less than 3 hours, she would be awakening to make her flight to Japan with her class.

"Ok, is everyone here?" A man called out to a crowd of 20 students. "If you are with Pellham University's study abroad program, please raise your hands. Everyone, including Marina, raised their hands and Miss Troutsdale counted.

It was a busy morning at the Teaterville Regional Airport. It was only 7 A.M. and flights were already preparing to go underway, including Marina's Tokyo flight which was only a short time away. She had arrived at the airport at 6 A.M., which she thought was early. But she was surprised to see long lines at the ticket area and everywhere else. Luckily, she met her classmates on time and she was happily greeted by Miss Troutsdale.

"Alright." The teacher started. "As some of you may know already, my name is Mr. Potter and this woman is Miss Troutsdale. We are art teachers at your school and we are the advisors for this trip. Now, for some of you it may be your first time going overseas, for other's it may not. Whatever the case, I can assure you that this will be the experience of a lifetime! Japan is a beautiful country, and over the course of these next 3 months we will be experiencing the culture and the artistry it has to offer! When we arrive in Tokyo, you will be assigned a partner and he or she will be your roommate for the rest of the program. For the first week, we will stay in a hotel in Tokyo and after that week you and your partner will be assigned to stay with a family, all of whom have been nice enough to take part in the foreign exchange program. Now I know that we are all adults here, but we ask you all to please stay on your best behavior and follow the rules that have been set into place. We want this to be a fun experience and we don't want anything happening to you all. If you don't follow the rules, you WILL be sent home. No exceptions. Not only that, but you will not receive credit for your classes. So, with that in mind PLEASE follow the rules."

The announcer then came over the intercom and announced that the flight to Tokyo was now ready for boarding. Miss Troutsdale then clapped her hands together. "Alright so with all that being said, let's all have fun and make these next 2 months memorable! Let this be the time for trying new things and taking roads less traveled!" She then eyed Marina and smiled. "You never know what you can accomplish by stepping out of your comfort zones and grabbing hold of your future."

Marina gave a nervous smile and lowered her head, staring down at her blue sneakers. She then shut her eyes remembering her dreams she had. The cherry blossoms, the big room, and most of all…those eyes…those kind blue eyes…it was if they were burned into her mind. If what her grandma had told her a long time ago was true ("Dreams can sometimes foretell your future"), then something might be coming in Japan. But what? It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Miss Troutsdale smiling at her.

"You'd better hurry, or you're gonna miss the plane, Marina." She chuckled.

"Oh! Yeah sorry!" Marina said nodding rapidly. She put her thoughts in the back of her mind and they both hustled to catch up with her classmates.

Marina found a window seat and sat there, placing her backpack under the seat. She let out a slight sigh clinched her fists in her lap. This was it. She was leaving for real this time. For the next two months, she would be experiencing something that she thought she would never get to do. It was exciting, but scary at the same time. To ease her nervousness, she took out her iPod and her sketchpad from her backpack. She placed the headphones in her ears. She thought of the cherry blossom forest and started to draw what came to mind. The petals, the grass, the trees..

She looked up for a second to see the flight attendant talking, but she then kept drawing.

It didn't seem like long when suddenly she felt herself jerk backwards, making her scratch a line in her drawing. The plane was preparing to take off.

"Aw darn…" she whispered as she looked at the ruined picture. Marina ripped out the sheet and balled it up, placing it in her backpack. She then buckled her seatbelt and the plane was soon lifting high into the air. Marina peered out the window to see her hometown getting smaller and smaller until it couldn't be seen anymore.

Miss Troutsdale looked over at her and gave her a thumbs up. She giggled and did the same. If anything went wrong on this trip, Marina knew that Miss Troutsdale would have her back. She yawned a bit and tipped her head to the side and gently closed her eyes. She felt sleep overtake her and the soft music was certainly helping. It wasn't long before she was sleeping soundly in her seat. Miss Troutsdale walked over and smiled at the sleeping girl, blanket in hand. She placed it on her and then walked back to her seat. She promised Marina's father that she'd look out for her on the trip and she couldn't have been happier to do so. Miss Troutsdale only hoped that Marina would break from her shy shell while there.

"It could happen…" she thought. "It definitely could happen."

* * *

**_Chapter 3 coming soon!_**


	6. Story update

Hello everyone sailorsakura here :) I really do apologize to everyone for not updating in a while. A lot of things have happened since my last update(school, a few hospital visits, a new job) and I just wanted to let all my readers know that this story hasnt been forgotten. I really appreciate everyone for reading this and I will do the best I can to finish this story . I cant promise a chapter every single day, but i'll put in my best effort when I write one! Thanks again guys and I hope yall continue reading. Take care :)


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